Floor Statements

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein) and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, the events this week in Nashville, TN, are still fresh in our minds. The thought that a shooter went on the campus of a Christian school, a school for children--little children--this person who went on that campus blasted her way into the building and then took the lives of three 9-year-old children and three adults, who were the principal and staff at the school.

It is heartbreaking to think that we are reliving the scene over and over again, where our children who are sent by their loving parents off to school, lunches in hand, never came home--never came home.

We don't know all the details yet of the shooter or the weaponry which she owned at the time or used in the event, but we do know that there were weapons that we are very familiar with. One, of course, is the AR-15, the military-style assault weapon that has, sadly, become so popular in America.

This morning's Washington Post had an editorial which touched me personally and I wanted to share this morning on the floor. I will quote from it. The editorial board wrote:

These attacks are always heart-wrenching. But they're not

surprising anymore--neither the massacres themselves nor the

weapons used to carry them out. Ten of the 17 deadliest mass

killings in the United States since 2012 involved AR-15s. The

names of the towns and cities where these tragedies took

place have become familiar: Newtown, San Bernardino, Las

Vegas, Parkland, Uvalde and beyond.

The Washington Post spells out the specific cities each year where these mass shootings took place with AR-15s and the number of people who were killed. I am going to read the names of these communities into the Record, as they should be:

Las Vegas, NV, 2017. An AR-15 weapon was used. Sixty people were killed.

Orlando--Pulse--FL, 2016. An MCX rifle. Forty-nine people killed.

Newtown, CT, Sandy Hook Elementary School, 2012. The shooter had an AR-15. The shooter killed 27 people, including those beautiful little children.

Sutherland Springs, TX, 2017. Another AR-15. Twenty-five people killed, including a pregnant woman.

Uvalde, TX, 2022. Another AR-15 military assault rifle. Twenty-one people killed.

Parkland, FL, 2018. Another AR-15, killing 17 people.

San Bernardino, CA, 2015. An AR-15 there killed 14 people.

Aurora, CO, 2012. Another AR-15 killed 12.

Pittsburgh, 2018. An AR-15 killed 11.

Boulder, CO, 2021. An AR-15 killed 10.

Buffalo, NY, 2022. An AR-15 killed 10.

They cut the list off at 10 deaths in a mass shooting involving these military-style assault weapons, so they didn't include Highland Park, IL, but I want to make a record of that.

Fourth of July 2022. An AR-15-style weapon. Seven killed and dozens wounded, including an 8-year-old boy who will be paralyzed for life.

These are the realities of the AR-15 as it is being used. It was designed to do just this: kill massive numbers of people, of human beings.

One in twenty U.S. adults owns at least one AR-15. Think of that. One out of every twenty Americans owns at least one AR-15. That is roughly 16 million people storing roughly 20 million guns designed to mow down enemies on the battlefield with brutal efficiency. That is the reality the Washington Post reports.

The rise in production of the AR-15 is stunning. AR-15s accounted for 1.2 percent of all manufactured guns in 1990--1.2 percent--and 23.4 percent of the guns produced in America in 2020. Thirty years later, almost one out of every four guns produced in the United States is an AR-15 military-style assault rifle.

The AR-15 is materially different than traditional handguns. The rifle fires very small bullets at very fast speeds. The projectiles don't move straight and smooth through human targets like those of a traditional handgun--our image of a bullet hole in a movie. Their velocity turns them unstable upon penetration so that they tumble through flesh and vital organs.

Mr. President, I thought long and hard about reading the next two or three sentences of the Washington Post editorial on the floor of the Senate. I am not going to read them because they spell out in a few words but in graphic detail what happens to the body of a child when it is struck by one of these military-style assault weapons. I can't bring myself to think that one of those parents might be listening to this Senate proceeding and have to relive the horror of the moment. But suffice it to say, what happens is devastating and horrible to any human body but certainly to the body of a small child.

Mr. President, think of Sutherland Springs, where the shooter, armed with the AR-556 Ruger, fired off 450 military-grade bullets within minutes, killing 25 people, including a pregnant woman.

Think of Dayton, where the gunman needed only 32 seconds to hit more than two dozen people with 41 bullets. That is because he was equipped with a 100-round drum magazine. Even a 30-round magazine, which is now the industry standard today, would have forced him to reload at least once. A 15-round magazine would have forced him to reload twice. The Washington Post's analysis of the time that would have taken reveals that lives could have been saved, potentially six of the nine who were killed, because of the high-capacity magazine that was attached to the gun.

There should be a ban on these high-capacity magazines. It is hard to imagine that you can listen to these numbers and the devastation of these weapons and imagine someone rationalizing that when our Founding Fathers sat down so long ago to write the Second Amendment, they envisioned what we are facing today in Nashville, TN, and in Highland Park, IL, and in 131 different instances of mass shootings so far this year. And less than 90 days have passed in this calendar year--over 131 mass shootings. And as I go through the list here of those involving AR-15s, the numbers of casualties and deaths are astounding.

This should be shameful to this great Nation, to think that the United States of America accepts this as part of our constitutional right, our constitutional responsibility, to own a mass killing weapon like the AR-15; that virtually one out of four of all guns manufactured in this country today are AR-15 weapons. Are we out of our minds to let this happen, to let children in Nashville, children in Connecticut, children be victimized or anyone be victimized by these at a Fourth of July parade or wherever it happens to be?

I listened to my colleagues yesterday. One of them brought this up in the Senate Judiciary Committee, challenging Secretary Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security as to whether he supported an assault weapon ban. He said he did. I do too.

The Senator then said to him: Well, define an assault weapon for me.

Well, it is an interesting challenge. We did define it when we banned assault weapons for a period of time and saw the number of mass shootings decline dramatically in our country. But, of course, the producers of these weapons changed them just enough to be outside the definition. So there is no question that we are dealing with a moving definition, and we have to be open to the reality of it. But is this beyond us as a nation, to define a weapon in a way that we can legitimately regulate it?

Who should own an AR-15? I obviously would say the military. That is what they were designed for. Police, in extraordinary situations, might need them--I can see that--some specialized law enforcement agencies. But why in the world does an individual American need an AR-15, particularly with a high-capacity magazine? It isn't for hunting; that is for certain. It is hardly for self-defense. It can't be much for sport. What is the rationale behind this?

Then you look at the Supreme Court and the recent Bruen decision. You wonder, What are they thinking? What is going through the mind of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as he is arguing that somehow the AR-15 military assault weapon that is killing so many Americans and groups was envisioned by the Founding Fathers when they wrote the Second Amendment? They were dealing with powdered wigs and flintlock rifles. They certainly had no idea what a high-capacity magazine can do to a large group of people, as we have seen so many times over and over.

Well, what are we going to do about it? is the obvious question. Senator, nice speech. What is next? Well, I will tell you what is next. The American people are next. If they are fed up with the situation, as I am--and I know many are--they have to make it a condition when they come to vote for Members of Congress.

Currently, the House of Representatives is under the control of the Republican Party. The likelihood that they will consider any gun safety legislation is minimal. We now have a scant majority in the Senate but not enough to break a filibuster over an issue. So we have limited opportunities.

What it takes is a decision by the American people to put an end to this madness. The people they elect to the House and Senate--there have to be simple questions asked for people to understand where they are going to stand when issues of gun safety come before them.

I will just tell you, Mr. President, that as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am sorry we don't have the votes now to act. We need to do it--not just for the great people of this Nation but also for their children and grandchildren.

I yield the floor.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen), and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) are necessarily absent.

Madam President, in 1905, Paul P. Harris, a Chicago attorney longing for a sense of community, formed the Rotary Club of Chicago. He envisioned an organization where local professionals could come together, share ideas, and form meaningful relationships. Today, what began as the Rotary Club of Chicago is now Rotary International, a community service organization of more than 1.2 million members with clubs on six continents.

Since 1943, Rotary International has selected up to 150 Rotarians each year as recipients of the Service Above Self Award, their highest individual honor for Rotary members. This award recognizes exceptional humanitarian service, with an emphasis on personal volunteer efforts to help and serve others. This year, Rotary International has selected an incredible teacher, businesswoman, humanitarian, and civic leader to receive its 2023 Service Above Self Award: central Illinois' own Barb Malany.

Born Barbara Bumgardner in Waco, TX, Barb's father served in the Air Force, which meant that Barb and her younger sister Sally never stayed at the same school for more than a few years. But through all of the moves and frequent change, Barb never neglected her studies. She began her college career in Munich, Germany, through an extension program through the University of Maryland. She finished her degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she studied English and German, and met LeGrand ``Lee'' Malany, a physics student, and now her loving husband of 58 years. After completing her undergraduate education, Barb earned her master's degree in special education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

From there, Barb set out to fulfill her lifelong calling: improving the lives of children and young people by teaching English special education to high school students. To this day, Barb serves as a full- time substitute teacher in Springfield, IL.

Aside from teaching, Barb also was a successful small business owner. For two decades, Barb and Lee owned and operated Flowers LeGrand and Gifts in downtown Springfield. Her shop was even designated Small Business of the Year by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. But her service to Springfield went far beyond flowers and gifts. Barb was a founding member and president of Downtown Springfield, Inc., a Main Street organization that helped spearhead the redevelopment of Springfield in the 1990s.

Barb's efforts earned her a commendation from the mayor of Springfield ``for public-spirited and praiseworthy endeavors.'' And Barb never strayed too far from her lifelong commitment to helping young people. She used her business to extend internship and mentorship opportunities to young people, an effort that earned her Supervisor of the Year by Springfield School District 186.

Barb also has helped foster an enduring relationship between Springfield and Ukraine. Over the years, Barb has hosted three delegations of Ukrainians who visited Springfield. Thanks to Barb's advocacy, the relationship between Springfield and Ukraine has only grown stronger since Vladimir Putin's senseless invasion of Ukraine. Last year, Barb and other community leaders came together to show their support for Ukraine by setting up a blue and yellow light display at Springfield's Bicentennial Plaza and installing ``Peace for Ukraine'' banners in downtown Springfield.

But above all else, Barb's commitment to others shines brightest through her role as a foster parent. Her first foster child was one of her high school students who, late one night, was approached by a police officer. The officer offered to take him home, but the young student had to tell the police officer that he did not have a place to live. When the police officer asked if there was anywhere he could take him, the young student gave him Barb's name, knowing that he would be safe with her. Barb took the student in at 1 in the morning, became licensed as a foster parent the next day, and cared for the student as foster child until he finished school and went out into the world. This sparked a new chapter in Barb's life as a foster parent. Over a 20-year period, Barb fostered 17 children, changing their lives for the better, building trust, and showing firsthand what it means to live a life of service to others. Barb's compassion for young people in difficult situations has never waned, and she continues to serve as a foster parent.

So it comes as no surprise that Rotary International chose Barb as one of this year's Service Above Self Award recipients. Barb is the third member of Rotary District 6460 to receive this distinguished honor. As an active Rotarian for more than 30 years, Barb was just the second woman in Springfield to become a Rotarian. She has been instrumental in shaping and growing Rotary District 6460's youth programs, inspiring students along the way. She has occupied every leadership role in District 6460's youth programs and has hosted more than 20 exchange students, fully immersing herself into their lives as a nurturing and supportive mentor. The bonds she has formed have resulted in lifelong friendships with her students.

Loretta and I congratulate Barb on receiving Rotary International's Service Above Self Award. And we thank Barb and her husband Lee for their many years of service to the central Illinois community, especially to our children and young people. Illinois is grateful for Barb's generosity, leadership, and service to others.

(At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), and the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fetterman), and the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) are necessarily absent.

I announce that the Senator from Delaware (Mr. Coons), the Senator from California (Mrs. Feinstein), the Senator from Pennsylvania

(Mr. Fetterman), and the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Manchin) are necessarily absent.